The Future History of Panem
by RichieAprile
Summary: I'm a big fan of the Hunger Games Universe, and have always found myself curious about how Panem started as well as the first rebellion and hunger games events. This story is told in the form of a timeline of events which begin in the present day. This is my first attempt, so please bear with me. Please also note this is just for fun and entertainment.
1. Chapter 1

**PANEM, A FUTURE HISTORY**

 **Chapter 1: How It All Began**

 **November 8, 2016** – Donald Trump wins the United States Presidency in the closest election in American history, defeating Bernie Sanders 270-268 in the Electoral College, despite Sanders having won the popular vote. The win is the result of a stunning upset in Florida, with the traditionally democratic stronghold of Miami-Dade county going Republican for the first time in almost 30 years (the last time was 1988 for George H.W. Bush), albeit by a very slim margin, but enough to award Florida's 29 electoral votes to Trump, who had been trailing 268 to 241. However, Sanders does not concede, citing irregularities being reported in Miami-Dade along with several other voting districts.

 **November 10, 2016** – The Sanders campaign officially petitions Congress and outgoing President Barack Obama for a formal inquiry and investigation into the election results, citing allegations that potential voters were turned away from polling stations due to "lack of acceptable identification." The petition is signed by over 1 million citizens along with 47 members of the House of Representatives and 4 United States Senators.

 **November 11, 2016** – Approximately 50,000 protesters gather in Lafayette Square outside the White House in support of the investigation, claiming that Bernie Sanders is the true President-Elect of the United States. They are met by nearly 30,000 counter-demonstrators in support of Trump. The protests inevitably turn violent after only a few minutes of intense back and forth verbal taunting, with fighting between the Sanders and Trump factions as well as between both factions and the police. After approximately 10 hours, the violent demonstration ends with 116 dead, nearly 1,500 injured, and over 5,000 arrested.

 **November 30, 2016** – In addition to the Miami-Dade area, reports of irregularities, intimidation, and disenfranchisement at polling stations pour in from all over the country through television, radio, internet, and social media outlets over the next few weeks. These largely match the findings of Congress at the conclusion of their investigation. This ignites a new round of mass protest around the country, with the most activity occurring in the Midwest and coastal areas. Conversely, the vast majority of counter-protest activity takes place in the deep-south and southwestern United States as well as Alaska.

 **December 1, 2016** – Bernie Sanders officially contests the election results and files suit with the United States Supreme Court. The entire nation is on edge as preliminary hearings for _Trump v. Sanders_ are scheduled to begin the following week. Bernie Sanders hires prominent New York attorney Michael Heavensbee as lead counsel, while Trump selects the high powered Jonathan Abernathy from Chicago to represent him.

 **December 8, 2016** – _Trump v. Sanders_ begins with opening statements from both camps. Heavensbee's position contends that while several voting irregularities have been noted across the country, including intimidation and disenfranchisement against potential democratic voters, the particular focus will center on the Miami-Dade area of Florida, which has a strong democratic presence and is one of the most influential voting districts in the state, and has seen the highest number of irregularity reports. Heavensbee intends to prove that disenfranchisement took place, noting the reports of voters being turned away for no valid reason other than vague statements of "lack of acceptable identification" as well as improper poll closings which prevented voters from casting a ballot due to employment time constraints. He also intends to show that voters were sent home when polling station closing times had been announced, even though they had arrived prior to closing. Should it be proven, a motion would then be filed to petition the Supreme Court to nullify Trump's election and award the Presidency to Mr. Sanders. On the other side, Jonathan Abernathy intends to prove that no improprieties took place, arguing that interviews with voters and polling station staff in the Miami-Dade area revealed no discrepancies, and that a recount still showed Trump as the victor. He also notes in his opening statement that voter demographics are constantly evolving and changing, and an electoral victory can happen anywhere at any time for any candidate. His ultimate goal is to have the election results upheld in favor of Mr. Trump.

 **December 22, 2016** – After two weeks of intense arguments from both sides and deliberation from the Justices, the United States Supreme Court votes to uphold the election results in a 5-4 vote. Chief Justice John Roberts provides the prevailing opinion, citing the lack of impropriety evidence other than circumstantial presented by Mr. Heavensbee. All forms of media explode with furious reaction from Sanders supporters, and protests ignite nationwide to the point of civil unrest, as new evidence comes to light of more disenfranchisement around the country. However, Mr. Sanders pleads for calm, stating that "the democratic process has prevailed, and this is another example of the ideals of our forefathers. Let us reconcile and make our future a brighter one." He then calls Mr. Trump to officially concede and congratulate him on his victory.

 **December 23, 2016** – Mr. Trump gives an official victory speech in his home state of New York to tens of thousands of his supporters. However, he is continually interrupted by protesters who have gathered within the venue. After only a few minutes, Trump becomes visibly enraged and deviates from his speech to address the protesters directly: "Listen here, you bunch of bleeding heart freeloaders, I won the election! The Supreme Court upheld the results! I am your next President, whether you like it or not! Get used to it!" His fiery statement is met with thunderous applause and celebration by supporters, but is lambasted in the media as unprofessional and potentially alienating, which does little to calm the growing unrest in the nation.

 **January 20, 2017** – Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States.

 **January 30, 2017** – President Trump immediately acts on one of his early campaign promises by asking Congress to approve the enforcement of a particular clause in the Immigration Act which allows the United States to bar entry to anyone deemed a threat. Mr. Trump argues that Islam has become too radicalized and that the country cannot afford to risk the safety of its citizens anymore. Because Islam is a religion and not a race, President Trump argues for a total ban on immigration against ethnicities most likely to practice Islam. He proposes a total immigration ban against all foreigners of Arabic, Persian, South Asian, Mediterranean, and Bosniak origin.

 **February 6, 2017** – After days of fierce nonstop debate, Congress narrowly grants authority to President Trump to enforce the ban, which takes place immediately. All immigration is stopped, all hearings cancelled, and all visas are revoked for those affected. The ban is met with massive disapproval among the American public as well as from several international organizations, primarily the United Nations and Amnesty International.

 **February 10, 2017** – News outlets across the country are abuzz with stories of massive protests that have again erupted nationwide in opposition to President Trump's ban, with a spike in recruiting from ISIS also being reported. This prompts large scale petitions to President Trump and to Congress to reverse the ban. President Trump stands firm, even openly defiant, claiming that the ban "removes a major cancer from American society." This ignites a complete firestorm of criticism of the President, with even some of his closest allies in Congress becoming nervous and privately urging President Trump to take a more cautioned approach to his rhetoric.

 **May 7-10, 2017** – The most devastating terrorist attack in history occurs on American soil. In a coordinated effort among over 500 ISIS operatives, mass bombings and shootings occur in 10 major cities – New York City, Chicago, Miami, Detroit, Boston, Houston, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. The attackers use high powered fully automatic assault rifles, sniper rifles, Molotov cocktails, RPG launchers, hand grenades, and dirty bombs. The assault lasts nearly 4 straight days and results in 40,000 deaths, over 200,000 injured, and over $180 billion in damage, including the complete destruction of the Willis Tower in Chicago and the Needle in Seattle, with parts of Detroit and Boston rendered uninhabitable from the terrorists' dirty bomb detonations. Of the 500 ISIS operatives, 382 are killed, 110 are captured, and the remaining 18 are thought to have fled the country into Mexico from San Diego.

 **May 11, 2017** – President Trump meets privately with his cabinet in an emergency meeting and declares "Enough is enough. It is time to get rid of this scourge once and for all." He then gives a televised address to a shell shocked and massively outraged nation to discuss the events of the attack and his plan of action. It is at this point when Mr. Trump announces that he is working with Congress on what is to become known as the Security Act. The proposed law completely terminates all immigration to the United States from all foreign nationals, regardless of their country of origin. In addition, it moves to reclassify Islam as a cult, making it exempt from first amendment protection. The most controversial, if not outright unconstitutional provision, calls for the rounding up and subsequent forced relocation of any citizen who is a member of the Muslim faith. The "evacuees" would be sent to federal housing complexes where they would be kept under constant surveillance.

 **May 13, 2017** – The Security Act stalls in Congress, as even the staunchest allies of Trump find it a bit too extreme. However, this quickly changes when another ISIS cell activates in Phoenix, Arizona and detonates 10 dirty bombs at different points in the city, causing another 8,000 deaths instantaneously along with 11,000 more injuries. The 10 member cell then spreads out in downtown Phoenix and each member sets off a suicide bomb that claims another 900 lives and injures another 1,000.

 **May 14, 2017** – The Security Act swiftly passes through Congress, and President Trump wins a key provision which allows him to effectively declare a "special state of emergency" which not only federalizes all police, fire, and national guard forces, but allows the President to declare martial law as well as bypass the legislative and judicial branches, essentially allowing Trump to run the country as a dictator.

 **May 15, 2017** – President Trump immediately utilizes the Security Act and declares martial law across the United States in another address to the nation. He also uses this opportunity to announce an initiative in which "all persons of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, South Asian, Bosniak, and Balkan origin will be relocated to undisclosed federal housing districts and placed under immediate surveillance." The law is challenged in the courts but immediately upheld due to the "extenuating circumstances which have befallen the United States and now subsequently threaten its sovereignty." Now completely free of legal challenge, Trump carries out his plan of relocation.

 **May 17, 2017** \- Citizens who meet the description set forth in the law are forcibly removed from their homes in the middle of the night and taken to local detention centers where they are held indefinitely without due process. Those who resist are immediately arrested, with some even being summarily executed on sight, right in front of their families. The Security Act also contains a small and obscure provision which allows those deemed a "threat" to the United States to be considered enemy combatants and therefore subjected to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, meaning that a person could be subjected to a court martial rather than a civilian trial by a jury of their peers. This provision will be heavily used and strictly enforced. This provision also allows the President to extend its definition to protesters, who under the law are considered "insurrectionist agitators," and can also be treated as enemy combatants. As a result, demonstrations are quickly and harshly suppressed by military and police forces.

 **June 27, 2017** – President Trump issues an executive decree which enacts tight controls over the media, with FCC officials now being present at all media outlets regardless of size, who cannot release information until it has been reviewed, edited, and approved for release. President Trump claims that the information controls are "regrettable but necessary in order to prevent the spread of information which terrorist organizations operating within the United States may find useful for further attacks." In reality, however, the decree serves little purpose other than providing propaganda mixed in with the occasional game show or sporting event.

 **August 13, 2017** – Four ISIS operatives are apprehended in Laredo, Texas, and found smuggling nuclear materials and a detonation device bound for Washington, D.C. On the way to the detention center, one of the operatives accidentally divulges information when speaking to another of his comrades in Arabic, unaware that one of the ICE agents transporting them was an interrogator while stationed in Afghanistan a decade earlier, and as a result was also fluent in Arabic. The ICE agent learns that the nuclear device was provided by a rogue Russian general, the explosive device by a hardline Chinese government official, and also that they were being smuggled across the border by members of the Zetas drug cartel. He promptly relays this information to his commanding officer, with both promptly being summoned by the Department of Defense for further questioning.

 **August 14, 2017** – President Trump again goes on national television and discloses the information obtained from the apprehended ISIS operatives to the American public. While Trump is already suffering from incredibly high disapproval ratings, this new information provides him with a bit of a boost in support, as Americans seem thankful that a massive disaster has been avoided. However, this does not last long, as President Trump's rhetoric becomes immediately hostile and outright belligerent toward the governments of Russia, China, and Mexico. President Trump then issues an ultimatum to all three nations: turn over those responsible for planning this attack within one week, or face war. The Mexican government immediately complies and even allows U.S. military and Customs forces to operate within northern Mexico. Russia and China, however, claim to have no knowledge and therefore are unable to assist the United States. President Trump responds with immediate skepticism and reiterates his ultimatum.

 **August 17, 2017** – The U.S. navy has secretly sent nuclear submarines and strategic bombers are put on high alert in the Bering Strait as well as the Taiwan Strait. President Trump announces that the ultimatum deadline is 11:59 P.M. United States Eastern Time on August 21st, "and not one minute after." In response, both China and Russia set their militaries on high alert, and begin arming their missiles in preparation for war. Stock markets go tumbling and oil speculation is at its highest point ever as a result. American citizens rush the streets to stock up on supplies, leaving entire grocery stores completely cleaned out shelf by shelf around the nation.

 **August 18, 2017** – Senator Bernie Sanders, Trump's opponent in the 2016 election, drafts a letter signed by nearly every member of the House and Senate which calls for President Trump to withdraw his ultimatum. The letter addresses Mr. Trump directly, stating "Mr. President, it is bad enough that you have already thrown away the Constitution within a mere 7 months of your first term, but this is going too far, even for you. We urge you to please reconsider your ultimatum. Do you really want to go down in history as the man who potentially caused more deaths than Hitler and Stalin combined?" In response, President Trump has Sanders arrested, tried for treason in what many considered to be nothing more than a kangaroo court, and then put on death row to be executed the night before the ultimatum deadline. The other congressional signatories of the letter are given censure as their one and only warning.

 **August 20, 2017** – As promised, Senator Bernie Sanders is executed by firing squad on orders from President Trump. Before his death, Senator Sanders' last words reportedly were: "The United States of America has been through dark days before, and those dark days are upon us again. But we have always been a nation to endure and triumph in the end. We will get through this." He is then shot dead in a short but intense volley. The American public goes into a period of deep mourning as they listen to the follow up broadcast from President Trump deep within Cheyenne Mountain, who then calls Sanders a "traitor to our values and a detriment to our power and unity."

 **August 21, 2017** – The day of the ultimatum has arrived. At 11:00 P.M. Eastern Time, President Trump has his forces at DEFCON 2, with the order to go to DEFCON 1 at midnight. Throughout the hour, the President receives frantic telephone calls from both Chinese and Russian government officials promising that they have no knowledge of the planned attack and pleading for time. President Trump simply responds to every plea with "Too late." Then, at 11:45 P.M., NORAD radar detects several nuclear missiles headed for the U.S. from China, Russia, and North Korea as well. Every face in the situation room turns ghost white as Trump now faces the unthinkable – nuclear war. It is presumed that Russia, China, and North Korea figured there would be no convincing President Trump to back down, so they figured better to strike first in hopes that they will destroy as much of the United States as possible before they themselves go down in flames. President Trump immediately orders American forces in the Bering and Taiwan Straits to retaliate with everything in their arsenal, which they do. The Emergency Alert System is then activated in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Citizens go into a general panic as they scramble to find whatever cover or shelter they can, but so many are ill prepared that they can do little except hide in their basements, which offer virtually zero protection against the force of a nuclear explosion as well as the subsequent fallout. American satellites then detect other oddities – they notice nuclear missiles aimed at the polar ice caps as well as glaciers in Northern Canada and Antarctica. U.S. military officials and scientists are horrified beyond belief as they realize what is happening – a nuclear attack on ice caps around the world would cause them to melt and push sea levels up drastically, not to mention cause tidal waves of unprecedented force.

 **August 22, 2017, 12:03 A.M.** – The first missiles hit. Within seconds, Washington D.C., Omaha, New York City, Boston, Miami, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Detroit, Houston, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, and Los Angeles are vaporized. At the same time, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Pyongyang are obliterated. In addition, Seoul, South Korea and Tokyo, Japan are wiped out completely by North Korean missiles that were launched at the same time as the missiles headed for the U.S. Approximately 90 million people are killed instantaneously by the blasts within population centers. Millions more will be killed within the next couple of days from fallout.

 **August 22, 2017, 12:08 A.M.** – Russian and Chinese missiles detonate in the air above the polar ice caps in Greenland, Northern Canada, the Arctic Circle, and Antarctica as well as on land in the coastal areas of these targets, and the effects are far more devastating than even the direst predictions from scientists. Within minutes, the shock wave causes tidal waves hundreds of feet high that race toward the United States' eastern seaboard at breakneck speed. Hours later, Alaska, Hawaii, and Northern Canada are completely underwater.

 **August 23, 2017** – Continental Europe is almost completely inundated. Paris, Rome, London, Dublin, Edinburgh, and Reykjavik are the first to be submerged. Most citizens have been hiding underground in anticipation, and therefore are completely helpless against the rising sea that swallows entire countries whole.

 **August 24, 2017** – The eastern United States is rocked by tidal waves so powerful that Florida is completely inundated immediately, with the rest of the eastern seaboard underwater not long after. You have to go as far inland as Atlanta before you reach dry land. The northeastern seaboard fares slightly better, with New England completely flooded but mostly intact, although the damage and casualties are no less immense.

 **August 30, 2017** – Another massive wave of deaths rolls across the globe, mostly as a result of radiation sickness from the fallout. All electronics not protected against EMP's or moved underground have been disabled as well, rendering emergency services completely useless. In a mere eight days, approximately 600 million people are dead, with millions more still expected. The death toll is predicted to peak at approximately 2 billion before the situation begins to stabilize. Continental Europe is virtually devoid of all life along with Western Russia and Eastern China, which are also heavily submerged underwater from the melting caps. South America is also near complete inundation all the way up to Panama. The Middle East and Africa suffer extensive damage and casualties as well, and although an exact number of deaths is unknown, there is speculation that they suffer approximately 15-20 million deaths minimum. Australia also suffers immense casualties due to most of its population living in coastal cities that were also completely washed away by the rising sea levels, and millions more are likely to die, as the Australian outback is a harsh and unforgiving territory that is ill suited for sustaining millions of lives.

 **September 2, 2017** – NORAD estimates the current number of dead at approximately 850 million, with roughly 150 million of those being Americans, although that number does not take into account the now hourly reported cases of deaths from radiation sickness, rioting, and complete overall breakdown of social order. Survivors have since gone underground, where they will likely have to remain for centuries before the land on the surface is deemed safe enough to inhabit.

 **September 19, 2017** – President Trump writes a long letter to the American people. In it, he professes his sincerest apologies for all that has happened, and expresses genuine regret for everything he has done. He ends the letter by stating "May God forgive me, because nobody else on this earth will, nor should they. I wish you all the best, and may your recovery toward a strong and prosperous nation be a speedy one." He then reads his letter out loud on an old reel to reel recorder, and then promptly commits suicide with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his private quarters.

 **September 20, 2017** – The remaining government officials decide to keep the President's suicide a secret, and instead decide to declare his death the result of a heart attack. All records of his presidency are sealed within a vault in the complex. In a secret meeting, a vote is held to establish the new capital right there in the Rockies. Scientists who were stationed in the new capital estimate that it will be at least a minimum of 400-500 years before the surface could be deemed safe enough to sustain life once again. Elsewhere across the country, citizens in areas relatively unaffected by the blasts or the flooding take whatever supplies they can, which consists of food, medicine, fuel, and electronics not damaged by EMP waves. They then join the rest of their fellow citizens in the relative safety of the underground, where they will have to build a new society over the next several centuries. Excursions onto the surface are extremely rare and short in duration, lasting an hour at most to forage for whatever food and supplies can be found.

 **September 21, 2017 – Approx. June 2500** – The world's population, including that of the United States, continues to decline rapidly, not just from the fallout of nuclear war, but from new diseases that result from lack of adaptation to life underground, lack of access to adequate medical supplies, and also a vast decline in the birth rate due to males and females being rendered sterile from the effects of radiation combined with disease. As a result, those deemed fertile are treated with the highest priority, and given the highest amount of rations and the best available medicine. While this manages to slow down the decline somewhat, it is unable to have a significant enough impact to immediately reverse the trend. The population of the United States dwindles all the way down to a mere 10 million before the decline stabilizes.

 **June 28, 2500** – Scientists in the new capital make a trip to the surface, and find that radiation levels have decreased enough to the point where the land may be inhabitable once more. The ozone layer seems to also have recovered somewhat, as exposure to sunlight does not have a negative effect provided one gives themselves proper protection. It is also discovered that while several thousand species of both plants and animals went extinct during the war, new flora and fauna have arisen in their place, stemming from genetic mutations that have occurred in the ecosystem as a result of the radioactive particles that drifted across the continent.

 **June 30, 2500 – Approx. June 2560** – Society gradually begins to rebuild. More and more people come back to the surface, and are aided by the new capital, which had preserved the technological as well as scientific and medical knowledge that was sealed underground during the war of 2017. North America has drastically changed in shape, and is now the largest remaining landmass on earth. Attempts to make contact with the world outside of North America prove unsuccessful. However, North American citizens are glad once again to be able to be on the surface full time rather than the limited voyages above to scrounge for whatever food and supplies they could come across, which most often ended up empty handed. The citizens are able to rebuild their homes and villages using technology salvaged in the new capital. In the year 2525, basic transportation by wagon and by rail is operational. By 2540, basic forms of radio and telephone communication are reestablished. Ten years later, fiber optic usage is relearned, leading to the new capital having its first television sets and computers reactivated, though mainly limited to the capital itself. Citizens begin to rejoice and feel that humanity will survive and rebuild after all. In 2060, the new capital located in the Rocky Mountains has become a flourishing mid-sized city. Citizens across North America are excited at the promise of the future.

 **September 1, 2560** – The first large scale broadcast from the new capital is heard on radios across the nation. It is the first contact with a mass audience in over 500 years. The voice on the radio identifies himself as Marcus Rubicon, a resident of the new capital who had helped rebuild the communications arrays both in and outside of the new capital. Rubicon addresses the citizens with a message of "hope, not of fear." He also states that it is time to "forge a new path, and let go of the past. To revisit history will doom us to repeat it. Let us begin anew." To demonstrate his point, he proposes a new name for this fledgling young nation, which will be voted on by the citizens across the land. The new proposed name for this country: Panem. Rubicon states that the name, while it may sound strange, is a shortened version of an old Latin phrase – "panem et circenses," or literally, "bread and circuses." Rubicon states that while he intends not to repeat history, he does want to learn from it, and that the name Panem encompasses everything the new country should stand for – bread and water that will bring food, sustenance, and life to the citizens. The circuses are the games and entertainment that will allow citizens to rejoice and remind themselves that they are still human and should balance work with pleasure to keep their minds as strong and healthy as their bodies. Together, they form what Rubicon calls "the new hope for the nation, and the strength to rebuild itself into something greater than even our ancestors could have ever imagined." He also appeals to the citizens' sense of humor when he proposes that the name of the new capital should just be "The Capitol," because, as Rubicon states: "It's easy to remember, not to mention easy to spell." However, Rubicon states that he will leave the names up to the citizens to approve or reject, and he will announce the results in one week's time.

 **September 8, 2560** – Panem and The Capitol are approved by citizens in an overwhelming near unanimous vote. That evening, Rubicon addresses the nation by its new name for the first time, stating: "My fellow citizens of this new bright young nation of Panem, we have taken the first step in selecting a name. Now, we must choose its leader." He then asks the citizens to nominate a leader, but they are unable to agree on anyone else but Rubicon, mainly because he is the only voice they have heard so far. It seems that already, The Capitol is learning how to manipulate the populace, although at first it is very subtle. His first act as Panem's first president is to have a full census taken to determine where populations are concentrated, their demographic makeup, what resources are in the area, and the amount of those resources.

 **September 20, 2560** – Rubicon again addresses Panem's citizens via radio announcing the census has been completed, and based on the information collected by him and his "colleagues," he feels that the best and most efficient way to utilize the remaining resources on the land and in the available resources of the seas would be to organize the country into thirteen "districts" rather than several states, provinces, or prefectures. The districts will simply be numbered rather than given a name, again because Rubicon states that "numbers are simply easier to remember." Each district will be responsible for electing a mayor as well as a "governing representative" to The Capitol. The thirteen districts will also be assigned a specific task which will be used to benefit The Capitol as well as the other districts. But before this can happen, zoning preparations must be made. Rubicon announces that his "colleagues" are working with him on plans to establish boundaries of each district as well as assigning specific functions based on the demographic, topographic, and resource data collected during the census. The plans will take approximately one year to implement. Rubicon promises that once all thirteen districts have been outlined and constructed, the first free elections of Panem will be held, followed by a constitutional convention which will draft the first official charter of the young nation. Most citizens look forward to the new future, although some are already uncertain, noting that Rubicon seems to be dictating more than asking.


	2. Chapter 2

**PANEM, A FUTURE HISTORY**

 **Chapter 2: A Nation Reborn**

 **October 7, 2561** – After just over one year, construction and zoning of the thirteen districts are completed. While no walls or fences have been erected, each district is marked with several border checkpoints manned by personnel consisting of guards selected from each district along with a Capitol representative in charge of recordkeeping and also responsibility for reporting back to the Capitol on all matters regarding production as well as medical and technological data. Travel between districts is free and unrestricted, although citizens must pass through each checkpoint and state their business before being allowed entry. Travel to the Capitol is also relatively easy, but President Rubicon asks that citizens try to remain in their respective districts to help rebuild for the time being.

 **October 20, 2561** – Rubicon follows through on his promise to hold free elections, with November 7th being the first round of voting. Borrowing certain elements from the United States Constitution preserved in the Capitol's vault, Rubicon states that each district may choose to nominate any male or female of at least 30 years of age to be a presidential candidate in the upcoming general election scheduled for November 30th. The Presidential candidate may then select his or her running mate to serve as Vice President. In addition, each district must elect an additional individual to serve as a second governing representative to the Capitol, which would bring the total to two for each district, and 26 total combined. Rubicon also declares himself a candidate, and promises to step down should he be defeated.

 **November 7, 2561** – The first national elections in over five centuries take place in Panem. Voting begins in the morning and lasts well into the evening, with votes being tallied immediately as they come in by an election committee in each district along with a Capitol representative to ensure accuracy, since full scale electricity and computer networking are not yet available on a nationwide basis. By midnight, all votes are tallied and candidates are nominated. In all, thirteen individuals will travel to the Capitol to join interim president Rubicon for a series of debates that will be broadcast nationally via radio as well as televised, with citizens in each district being invited to their respective city halls to watch the debates live.

 **November 8 – November 29, 2561** – Twice per week, the fourteen candidates each take turns presenting their positions and offering counterarguments in live uninterrupted and unedited broadcasts on both television and radio. The first debate focuses on how Panem should be structured on a national level. Positions vary greatly on how best to rebuild the nation. Some of the candidates want to reestablish state territories and remove the district system; others want the districts to remain intact with each functioning as a separate autonomous entity part of a loose federation with the Capitol only having limited power. A few want a very strong central government in the Capitol responsible for the welfare as well as total authority over the entire nation, which immediately proves unpopular with listeners and viewers. Rubicon is the last of the candidates to present his position, which takes a balanced approach. He proposes keeping all thirteen districts intact with each being responsible for its own local governing while the Capitol will have limited authority over all districts. Additionally, there will be free and unrestricted travel between districts as well as the Capitol. He also calls for reestablishing an independent judiciary as well as a legislative council consisting of the 26 governing representatives who will either vote yes or no to pass laws proposed by the President. Rubicon even goes a step further and is the only candidate who proposes a presidential term limit consisting of one single term of ten years, after which he or she will be ineligible to run again for President. Rubicon's plan proves massively popular with the nation, leaving him as the clear frontrunner after the first week of debates.

Subsequent debates over the next two weeks also see Rubicon further taking the lead with proposals of nationwide rebuilding initiatives that include providing much needed power, communication, and transportation grids on a national scale as well as welfare programs such as health care, social services, and jobs training. He also proposes Panem's first monetary system, as the nation had been surviving on trade and barter. Rubicon's proposal will have its economy provide a new paper currency that will be backed by a combination of Panem's rare element and precious metal deposits, reminiscent of the gold standard of the former United States that was used until the Great Depression of the 1930's.

Finally, Rubicon appeals for national unity by proposing the reestablishment of an armed defense force which he calls the "Panem Peacekeepers." This is the only item of his platform that citizens are wary about, as they grew up with stories handed down from their ancestors about the great war of 2017, and are not at all enthusiastic about a militarized society, with most preferring to leave the defense of their nation to local district police forces. However, Rubicon reassures the public that his aims are not aggressive, but purely defensive, and reminds citizens that just because no contact has been made with the outside world does not mean that the outside world does not exist, and furthermore that the outside world may still have access to the same resources and technology as Panem does, adding that "we still don't know who else in the world may have power, and what the aims of that power would be, so it is better to be safe than sorry." He then adds that a national peacekeeping force would be beneficial to the unity of the nation, as it would inspire citizens to step up and serve the greater good. Rubicon's position seems to calm the nerves of the citizens for the time being, but they remain somewhat wary of the proposal, fearing that a large military force controlled by the Capitol could be misused.

 **November 29, 2561** \- Citizens of District 13 are the most skeptical of Rubicon's Peacekeeper proposal, and have already organized a secret committee to begin planning the renovation and additional construction of a vast underground facility that was built sometime before the Great War of 2017 but never used. It was discovered by scavengers sometime in the 22nd century and had undergone periodic expansion and maintenance until sometime in the 25th century. The facility is a secret unknown to everyone outside of District 13; even the Capitol is unaware of its existence. They decide to adopt a "wait and see" approach regarding the upcoming election, but have also already begun secretly stockpiling supplies underground as a safety measure.

 **November 30, 2561** – Marcus Rubicon is elected as Panem's first official President, winning a decisive 38 percent of the popular vote. The only candidates coming remotely close to him are Lily Everdeen from District 12 carrying 16 percent of the vote, Simon Odair from District 4 with 10 percent, and Fenwick Crow from District 7 with 9 percent. Tied for last place are Tigris Buchanan from District 1 and Jericho Strife from District 6, each with less than one percent of the popular vote, largely due to their extreme positions, with Buchanan advocating a strict authoritarian regime while Strife proposes a single nationwide commune with the President acting mainly as a figurehead only to govern in times of crisis.

 **December 1, 2561** \- In a gesture of goodwill to his fellow candidates and to gain the trust of the citizens, Rubicon himself requests an official recount of the votes, and any ballots cast that are unclear or cast for another candidate by mistake are discarded and the citizens responsible are allowed to recast their vote.

 **December 5, 2561** – The recount is complete, with the results slightly improving for candidates Lily Everdeen and Simon Odair, but remaining largely unchanged with Rubicon remaining the clear victor. In a speech delivered that evening from the Capitol, Rubicon sets forth aggressive goals for the nation. His plans include an official monetary system, a mass rail transit system, funding for power and communication grid construction, a national health care system, mass job training programs, and the creation of the Peacekeeper force. Rubicon also calls for Panem's first Constitutional Convention to take place on the day of his inauguration, which will set forth the foundation of Panem's government. He states that while "these goals may sound lofty, maybe even impossible; the time is now to start rebuilding. Panem's citizens have suffered underground in poverty and despair for long enough. You have given me the honor of leading our newly reborn nation, so I will give back by encouraging every man, woman, and child of Panem to shape their own destiny and giving them the help they need to pursue their dreams." Rubicon's speech is very well received, albeit with some skepticism still remaining among the public, particularly from District 13, who remain hopeful but also vigilant.

 **January 1, 2562** – President Rubicon is officially inaugurated at 9:00 A.M. in a simple swearing in ceremony administered by the council of 26 representatives from the 13 districts, and takes less than ten minutes. As soon as the ceremony is over, Rubicon turns to his representatives and simply states "let's get to work and get this nation back on its feet." His very first act as President is to open up the Capitol's vault and retrieve all relevant documents pertaining to governance as well as medical, technological, and scientific knowledge. As promised, he oversees Panem's first Constitutional Convention, which not only gathers the 26 representatives from the districts, but is also opened up to all citizens to either attend in person or watch and listen in a live radio and television broadcast. Citizens are also not only allowed to participate, but are actively encouraged to do so by President Rubicon during designated "Q &A sessions." The convention officially begins at 11:00 A.M. and will go on "as long as it has to, until every citizen's voice is heard," according to Rubicon.

 **January 27, 2562** – After nearly four weeks of intense debate and deliberation, Panem's constitution is drafted. It borrows heavily from the constitution of the former United States, including a simplified version of a bicameral legislature consisting of 26 citizens in the "Senate of Panem" as well as an additional five members from each district to symbolize a house of representatives. In addition, all ten amendments from the bill of rights are included along with new ones guaranteeing citizens the right to "health, employment, and well-being." However, the new constitution allows for sole executive power to reside with the President in times of "national crisis which necessitates the bypassing of the legislature and judiciary, but only with the approval of said legislature by at least a two thirds majority." This provision is controversial, but Rubicon assures the public that it will only be used as an absolute last resort. Term limits are also different, with the President holding office for a single ten year term, after which they will be ineligible for office again. Senators will still serve renewable six year terms, and representatives two year terms. Lastly, the newly established "High Court" of Panem is an exact replica of the Supreme Court of the former United States, albeit with only seven justices instead of nine.

 **January 28, 2562** – Panem's constitution is ratified in a unanimous vote from all 26 district representatives. It is met with over 90 percent approval from the public in the country's first nationwide poll. Citizens take issue with the "crisis provision," but decide to trust President Rubicon's promise of avoiding the implementation of the clause by all means necessary. At 9:00 P.M., President Rubicon announces the ratification of the constitution, noting that it takes effect immediately. He asks the citizens to conduct one more election to select an additional five members from each district to take office in Panem's newly established Parliamentary House in the Capitol. The new elections are scheduled in February.

 **February 10, 2562** – Elections are held for Parliamentary offices in each of the 13 districts, with five citizens from each being selected for a two year term. The responsibility of the Parliament largely mirrors that of the House of Representatives from the former United States.

 **February 11, 2562 – November 7, 2571** – The first decade in Panem's history comes to a close with unprecedented success. President Rubicon's policies lead to massive national growth in nearly every facet of life. Among the highlights of his presidency are the revival of the economy, the reintroduction of public education, implementation of mass transit, a health care system that revolutionizes disease and injury control that leads to a "second baby boom" that sees birth rates increase dramatically while infant mortality rates decrease by an enormous margin. Other highlights include a highly efficient job training and creation program that assigns each district a specific staple to produce for distribution to the Capitol as well as other districts, crime at a level that is virtually nonexistent thanks to Rubicon's social programs that enable citizens to earn a decent living free of worry, and the creation of Panem's first defense force consisting entirely of volunteers, so many volunteers in fact, that several thousand citizens are turned away due to the restriction on active personnel set forth by President Rubicon and approved Panem's Parliament and Senate, which limits the size of the Peacekeeping force to ten thousand. Lastly, President Rubicon earns the full and complete trust of the public by following through and delivering on nearly every single one of his promises and refusal to abuse power, even proposing further limits to his authority during his tenure as President. In fact, he is so beloved by the public that everywhere he goes, citizens practically beg him to ask Parliament and the Senate to reconsider the term limits on Presidents so that he can run again. However, Rubicon refuses, stating "I have done what I set out to do, and Panem has taken a great first step toward rebuilding herself into a strong and prosperous society. I cannot, and will not, stand in the way of that by going against the constitution. It is now up to the people to elect a new President who will, in my hope, continue to faithfully execute the duties to which they are entrusted with, and proudly carry on this new standard which we have set forth for ourselves."

 **November 7, 2571** – President Rubicon's successor, Nakia Penbrook from District 8, is elected. She vows to continue the policies of Marcus Rubicon and "keep Panem on the path to prosperity."

 **January 1, 2572** – Outgoing President Marcus Rubicon makes his final address to the public, stating "The last ten years have seen us take the first steps toward emerging as a stronger, healthier, more united nation. It has been an absolute honor to serve you as President, and I wish you all many many more years of good health and a bright future." He is interrupted several times during his speech by raucous applause followed by a standing ovation that lasts nearly 10 straight minutes after his farewell address concludes. He then boards the Presidential train for the last time and returns to his home in the Capitol, where he is given a hero's welcome and begins his retirement. Meanwhile, in her inaugural address, President Penbrook reasserts her pledge to Panem's citizens that she will continue Rubicon's policies and uphold the constitution. She also pledges to expedite the progress currently being made on Panem's power and communications grids, which have greatly increased available electricity but still only remain about 60 percent operational, with many of the more remote areas of all 13 districts still without power and plumbing.

 **January 2572 – November 2581** – President Penbrook successfully continues and expands on Rubicon's policies. By her final year in office, Panem's power grids are 98 percent operational, and functional plumbing, both indoor and outdoor, are now available in all districts regardless of location. In addition, Penbrook successfully lobbies the Parliament and the Senate to expand medical research and training programs, which leads to enormous advances in the field of medicine, including a cure for the common cold, a successful anti-radiation sickness vaccine, and the complete eradication of both the HIV and AIDS viruses. Cancer rates decline dramatically while the national birth rate climbs for the second straight decade, with the population of Panem now standing at nearly 15 million. Penbrook's tenure also saw the second straight decade of financial growth, with nearly all citizens now having access to adequate food, water, fuel, and electricity. She also successfully lobbies both houses to implement a new initiative to explore alternative energy in order to conserve Panem's oil and natural gas reserves, which also becomes a success when the first fully functional solar, hydrogen, and geothermal power cells are mass produced, reducing Panem's carbon footprint by over 80 percent. President Penbrook is celebrated as "Panem's Second Hero" by the public.

 **November 6, 2581** – Panem's third President, Cyrus Pandora from District 3, is elected. He is a very gifted scientific mind and aims to increase Panem's capabilities in the field of science, and announces a bold plan to reintroduce space exploration using the newfound technological discoveries made during President Penbrook's tenure. He also seeks to continue the policies of his predecessors as he seeks what he calls "the ultimate goal of harmony and understanding among people and nature."

 **January 1, 2582** – Nakia Penbrook's farewell address is given, with the outgoing president saying "we have seen two straight decades of growth and progress, which I hope to see continue for ages to come. I will always cherish my time serving as your president, and wish all of Panem a brighter tomorrow." As with her predecessor, Penbrook's speech is given a massive standing ovation before she boards the Presidential Train bound for her home back in District 8, where she starts her own line of apparel and also conducts annual clothing drives for those less fortunate.

Back in the Capitol, President Pandora addresses the public, stating "Our first two decades as a new nation have been bright, but as President Penbrook pointed out, we can make our tomorrow even brighter. We must not shy away from our role as the custodians and guardians of nature, and of one another. If we stand up and meet this responsibility together, then together we will enjoy the rewards of our efforts. Let us keep moving forward."

 **January, 2582 – November 2591** – Panem experiences its third straight decade of progress and prosperity under President Pandora. After 30 years since its inception, Panem by now has undergone massive economic, medical, and scientific growth. The entire nation is beginning to resemble the former United States in terms of living standards, and has even surpassed its ancestor in medical achievement, as a prototype cancer vaccine has been introduced. Birth rates are the highest ever, with the population of the country now surpassing 23 million. Terminal diseases are being eradicated almost to the point of extinction due to the aggressive expansion of Panem's medical and scientific divisions under Pandora. By May of 2584, radar and sonar technology are in full scale usage once again. In July of 2586, the internet is reintroduced on a nationwide scale, with the first website, .gov being launched. Each district library is also provided with the latest computers, and internet cafes begin to arise in each district as well. However, personal computer availability for home use is not yet widespread due to cost and resource restraints. The greatest achievement, however, is the construction of Panem's brand new space division, which sees the first telescopes reintroduced as well as the first successful satellite launch since the 1950's, along with the space shuttle "Explorer" having been completed and successfully passed testing protocols one month before Pandora's term expiration.

 **November 5, 2591** – District 9's Horatio Hawkmoon is elected as the fourth President of Panem. He comes from a long line of farmers, starting with his distant ancestor who pioneered underground organics in the late 2200's and saved his underground community from starvation. Hawkmoon's primary goal is the elimination of hunger around the nation, which still affects some of the more remote regions of the country, stating "No man, woman, or child should ever again have to suffer the tragedies of our ancestors. President Pandora once called for us to be the custodians and guardians of nature and of each other, and I take his advice very seriously. I would not be doing my duty as your President if I did not do everything in my power to provide my fellow citizens with the ways and means of sustaining themselves."

 **January 1, 2592 – November 2601** – Panem steamrolls into the 27th century with a standard of living that now surpasses the former United States at any point in its history. President Hawkmoon's "Sustaining Sustenance" initiative is a massive success, as he uses his knowledge of farming to teach Panem's citizens how to successfully cultivate their own crops in nearly any weather conditions. This reduces the already low rate of starvation to virtually zero as citizens now plant their own self-sustaining gardens and crop fields which provide endless bounties. Bakeries and restaurants spring up all over Panem, and food drives become widespread. He also has extensive knowledge in aquatic science and his administration sees the first ever total purification of sea water and conversion into pure fresh drinking water. Hawkmoon's tenure also sees former president Cyrus Pandora becoming the first honorary astronaut after his term expires. In June of 2594 with the entire nation watching and listening, former President Pandora becomes the first person to set foot on the moon since Neil Armstrong in 1969, where he plants Panem's flag right next to that of the former United States, which still flies. Hawkmoon also uses this moment to propose the first commercial air fleet to supplement the Panem Air Force. He utilizes former President Pandora as a scientific consultant after his return from the Explorer expedition to help Panem's Division of Space and Aeronautics (by now known as the DSA) develop a brand new aircraft prototype that is capable of hovering and supersonic flight and is completely powered by hydrogen fuel cells. This new "hovercraft" prototype undergoes rigid testing that lasts nearly three years before it is approved by the DSA for production, with the first model being introduced in August of 2598, and the first commercial flight in March of 2599 which sees President Hawkmoon fly to each of the districts on a nationwide tour, where he is greeted by adoring crowds everywhere he goes.

 **November 6, 2601** – Loriana Persico, a former school teacher from District 10, becomes the fifth President of Panem. She is a staunch supporter of universal education and aims to provide the opportunity for every youth in Panem to achieve a good education should they so choose, saying "The more knowledge we possess, the more good we can do and the further we can distance ourselves from the sorrows of the past. "

 **January 1, 2602 – November 2611** – President Persico's tenure as President is more benign than those of her predecessors, but nonetheless she is very well liked by the public, as she does an excellent job of maintaining Panem's growth and momentum during its fifth decade. Her universal education initiative sees the opening of Panem's first colleges and official trade schools, with tuition that is affordable for all citizens thanks to a subsidy program which provides as much as 80 percent of tuition expenses to lower income families. As a result, secondary enrollment among Panem's youth nearly doubles. The only somber moment of her presidency is the passing of Panem's first president, Marcus Rubicon, who dies of natural causes at age 96 on April 7, 2611. President Persico gives the eulogy at his funeral, which is attended in person by over 10,000 mourners, with millions around the country watching or listening to the event on live television and radio broadcasts.

 **January 1, 2612 – November 2661** – The next 50 years in Panem's history go smoothly. The country is well managed by its five succeeding Presidents:

Cicero Heavensbee, Capitol native and 6th president of Panem from January 1, 2612 – December 31, 2621

Coreena Johanssen, District 3 resident and 7th president of Panem from January 1, 2622 – December 31, 2631

Vivia Nightengale, District 6 resident and 8th president of Panem from January 1, 2632 – December 31, 2641

Julius Blundetto, District 1 resident and 9th president of Panem from January 1, 2642 – December 31, 2651

Thrax Bohannen, District 11 resident and 10th president of Panem from January 1, 2652 – December 31, 2661

The nation achieves several new successes in the fields of technology, science, and medicine during this time. Crime has been virtually erased, and citizens enjoy a standard of living beyond that of any nation that has ever existed in history on earth. Entertainment now comes in all forms from popular music to television shows and sporting events. Perhaps the biggest highlight occurs during President Bohannen's administration when Panem celebrates its centennial on September 8, 2660. The occasion is marked by raucous celebrations in every district that go from early in the morning until midnight, when the Capitol performs a fireworks show that is televised all over the nation.

The By the end of President Bohannen's last year in office, Panem has become a near utopian society. In a single century, the nation has not only rebuilt, but surpasses that of any nation that had ever existed on earth previously. This is due in large part to the overwhelming unity and collective effort of the public, which built upon the salvaged technological, scientific, medical, and agricultural knowledge which was preserved and meticulously maintained in the Capitol's vault before, during, and after The Great War of 2017. Panem's future seems to be secure and bright.


	3. Chapter 3

**PANEM, A FUTURE HISTORY**

 **Chapter 3: First Signs of Trouble**

 **November 8, 2661** – Quintus Orion, former Mayor of District 2, is elected as the 11th President of Panem. Born to a working class family, he commands enormous admiration and respect among the public due to his accomplishments during his tenure as mayor, which stem from his integrity and extremely strong work ethic combined with his firm belief in compassion for all citizens regardless of who they are or where they come from. In his victory speech, President-Elect Orion promises the public: "I swear to you, my fellow citizens of Panem, that I will faithfully serve this great nation which I have come to love as if it were a part of my own family. I will continue this great tradition of excellence that we have been fortunate to be part of over these last hundred years."

 **December 10, 2661** – Former President Loriana Persico dies at age 108. Prior to her passing, she was the last living citizen to have been born before Panem's founding, and had continued her teaching career after her tenure as Panem's fifth president all the way up to her 90th birthday.

 **January 1, 2662** – Panem is early in its second century as a nation and by this point is operating like a well-oiled machine. President Orion's inaugural speech lays out an extremely bold new plan – to attempt contact with the world outside Panem for the first time since humans first returned to the surface in the early 26th century, and the first time in Panem's official existence as a country. He cites his compassion for humanity as his motivation, stating: "We have sent a man to the moon, we have sent our citizens around this great nation in all forms of transportation, and we have experienced an era of unprecedented unity and prosperity. It must be our duty not only as citizens, but as human beings, to seek out others around the globe who may still be out there, and may still be in need. If we share our good fortune with them, we will earn trust and good will from them. If we can bring unity to our own people, then there is no reason that the same cannot be achieved for all of humanity in the world."

 **January 7, 2662** – President Orion asks Panem's legislature to approve funding for a new initiative that would create Panem's first navy as well as launch additional satellites into space to aid in the search for any other signs of human life that may still be present. Panem's parliament and senate vote to approve his initiative, but with conditions, chief among them being that the new navy's scope will be limited to exploration and aid and not be allowed any offensive capability. Other restrictions include a limit on the number of vessels as well as voyage durations, which can last for no longer than six months.

 **February 6 – April 10, 2662** – Panem launches its second satellite into orbit. Initial data reports are not encouraging, as no signs of human activity outside Panem are detected. However, DSA officials state that this is by no means definitive proof that humanity outside of Panem has vanished; citing numerous instances of interference due to erratic space weather patterns combined with leftover photon particles that still reside in the upper reaches of the ionosphere from the exploded nuclear missiles detonated high above the earth in 2017. Upon hearing the reports, President Orion decides to scale back and start locally, collaborating with scientists from the DSA as well as Panem's departments of agriculture, health, and transportation to form a team that will explore the remaining landmass beyond Panem's established southern border, which stretches from the former territory of Mexico's central state of Durango, all the way to northern Panama in the former territory of Central America. Additional teams are organized to explore the area north of Panem, known simply as the "wilds," which consists of territory of former central and southern Canada.

 **May 1, 2662** – Plans are finalized for a six month expedition which will take place simultaneously in the southern territory and northern wilds beyond Panem's borders beginning June 1st and ending December 1st. Each expedition will see five teams consisting of 20 members per team that will be spread out along each region. Their objectives are to search for any signs of human activity and to create daily logs of their findings, which will be reported back to the Capitol on a weekly basis. Any signs of human presence are to be reported immediately, no matter how trivial, and even if said humans are deceased. If live human presence is encountered, the team members are under strict orders to refrain from actively engaging them unless under direct physical attack, with each team's designated security officers responsible for the team's safety. If any encountered humans are in need of aid, the designated medical officers for each team are the only ones authorized to administer basic temporary assistance. Any active civilizations encountered are also to be immediately reported to the Capitol.

 **June 1, 2662** – Commercial hovercrafts and cargo airliners take off toward their destinations carrying the expedition teams and their equipment. All of Panem is on edge with both excitement and nervous anticipation toward the possibilities, with citizens remaining glued to their televisions, radios, and computers awaiting updates.

 **June 2-8, 2662** – All teams report a safe landing in their respective territories. The first week is rather uneventful and consists of establishing base camps and mapping the local topography. Science officers from both expeditions immediately note the dense flora that has sprung up due to centuries of uninterrupted growth, with almost all of former Central America having become a dense jungle, while most of former Canada has become a vast forest with initial analysis showing its floral species to be nearly identical to those existing in Panem. The team in the former Mexican territory reports a mix of dry, arid desert judged to be largely uninhabitable combined with patches of thick rainforest.

 **July 1, 2662** – The first month of the expedition concludes with negative results. While teams in former Canada and southern former Mexico reported discovering human built structures, they were mostly ruins and estimated to have been constructed well before humans went underground. Analysts back in the Capitol reviewing photographs sent from the teams determine that the images are of none other than the ancient Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacan and its two most famous structures – the pyramid of the sun and pyramid of the moon, both of which have greatly deteriorated over the centuries but remain largely intact. Their determination is based on matching the photographs to those presented in a pre-Panem history book preserved in the Capitol vault.

 **July 17, 2662** – All teams located in the southern expedition send reports to the Capitol of an unknown species of plant that, in the words of one of the science officers, "seems to resemble some kind of hybrid between nightshade and hemlock, but also bears fruit in the form of berries." The Capitol replies to the team to collect samples for further study, but not to ingest the berries until they are properly tested. Initial chemical analysis tests back at the teams' respective base camps detect extremely high levels atropine, coniine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine. The berries contain such a high concentration of these compounds that one of the chief science officers estimates that ingestion of a single berry could kill a 200 pound healthy adult human in less than one minute, and a child in less than ten seconds. Even getting the berry's juices into an open wound, in one's eye, or through open pores on the skin could prove fatal. Upon hearing the initial reports, scientists back in the Capitol urge President Orion not to have the teams introduce the plant into Panem, as its effects are unknown and could have a potentially devastating effect on the ecosystem of the country as well as infect livestock and game who may eat them and pass the toxins on to their meat. However, President Orion goes against their advice and instructs the team to collect several samples for transport back to the Capitol for study, as they could prove useful in other areas such as pest control, which has started to become a problem in Panem's more remote areas. This exotic new plant is given the nickname "nightlock" due to its similarities to both nightshade and hemlock, but also because ingestion of the berry would "lock you into the permanent dark of night," as described by one of the medical officers stationed in Mexico's former territory.

 **August 28, 2662** – A shoulder mounted field camera belonging to the team stationed in the Yucatan Peninsula captures what appear to be the first signs of life in a jungle clearing less than a mile from the team's base camp that had been previously explored when the expedition first arrived, but had been found empty. The team approaches cautiously and quietly, hoping to get a more definitive look. After several minutes of slow and stealthy progress, the team arrives within 100 yards of the clearing. Almost immediately, the team determines that the lifeforms are not human, but primate. They appear to be wild monkeys, but much larger than their pre-Panem counterparts. This is theorized to be due in large part to the centuries free of human interference combined with mutations in the monkeys' DNA from the radiation of the war. President Orion consults with his advisors back in the Capitol who theorize that these primates may be engaging in a migratory pattern, which could explain their previous absence, and authorizes the team to remain in the area to observe as well as wait to see if any humans are drawn to the area for possible hunting. For the time being, the team quietly heads back to their base camp to formulate an observation plan.

 **August 30, 2662** – Just after sunrise, President Orion is suddenly awakened from a deep sleep by Capitol scientists. He rushes to the Capitol Mansion's situation room where he discovers that the team stationed in the Yucatan Peninsula has activated its emergency beacon, with reports of no response upon attempts to reach the team by radio. Monitors are immediately turned on, and the entire room goes ghost white and eerily silent as they watch the horror unfolding from the field camera's live feed – while the picture is extremely shaky, and audio is difficult to obtain due to the frequent random and erratic sudden movements of its owner, the president and his advisors are easily able to identify the scene. After a minute or so, the picture stabilizes and shows at least a dozen dead bodies surrounding the base camp. Sounds of crying, panicked breathing, and what seems like an attempt to make radio contact followed by a voice saying "it's no good, the radio is out, they must have destroyed the booster" are heard out of frame on the camera's built in microphone. The voice behind the camera asks if they still have video feed, to which the voice at the radio replies "Yes, video is still hot." At that point, the camera's viewfinder swings around to reveal the face of a man in his early thirties, clearly frightened and exhausted, as the picture shakes heavily, indicating tremors in his hand due to frayed nerves as he relays a message to the Capitol:

"This is Research Specialist Watts Pemberton with Expedition Team Bravo in sector two! If you are receiving this broadcast, this is an emergency! Repeat, this is an emergency! We have 14 confirmed dead, including the security team! Repeat, 14 confirmed dead, including the security team! We were observing primate lifeforms just over a kilometer north of our base camp, and they must have sensed us, and just attacked without warning! The security team was able to hold them back long enough for us to run back to base, but they just kept coming! All ammunition has been exhausted, and we are cut off from our supply tent! Myself and five others have managed to barricade ourselves inside the communications pod, but we can hear them outside, and they're trying to get in…I'm not sure how much longer the structure can hold out! (several loud sudden bangs are heard in the background followed by frightened yelping inside the tent) Request immediate evac! Repeat, request immediate evac! Please get us out of here, we may not…(a loud crashing sound is heard followed by panicked screaming before Pemberton's camera turns toward the action revealing several holes in the walls of the communications pod along with the barricaded door broken down, followed by his voice) Run! Just run! Get to the evac point!"

The picture is extremely shaky due to Pemberton's running, with the signal occasionally cutting out or distorting, but during brief stabilization periods the picture shows the monkeys moving with incredible speed and agility as they quickly bear down on the remaining team members. The last recorded images from the camera show the team members being gruesomely attacked, mauled, and devoured by the monkeys followed by the sound of a roar, Pemberton screaming in terror, and then the camera dropping to the ground with the signal being immediately lost afterward. President Orion can only watch in speechless horror as he orders Panem's air force to send a hovercraft squad in to retrieve the bodies and recover any salvageable equipment and samples possible, stating "nobody gets left behind."

 **September 12-15, 2662** – Two more teams in the northern wilds activate their beacons. Live video feed shows both teams under attack by large packs of what appear to be wolves, which are reported to have much greater size, strength, and speed than their old North American ancestors. However, the biggest surprise to Capitol officials observing the feed is the apparent dramatic increase in the intelligence of the wolf packs. Rather than simply chase down their prey, the wolves display what looks like a clear command structure and appear to implement basic offensive military tactics such as flanking and encirclement as well as defensive tactics like seeking high ground while in pursuit and even taking cover when the security teams fire at them. As a result, both teams' security squads quickly burn through their ammunition while causing minimal losses to their pursuing predators but allowing the teams enough time to retreat back to their respective camps, where they manage to hold out for three days before they too are viciously killed by the wolves.

 **October 6, 2662** – Yet another emergency beacon is activated, this time from Expedition Team Alpha in sector one, located in the former territory of Panama. The following is a transcript of the radio conversation between Capitol Central Command (CCC) and Chief Communications Officer Triton Wickerstaff (TW):

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT: 10/06/2662, 21:31:16

CCC [21:31:16]: This is Capitol Central Command responding to emergency transponder EB-A1 upon activation, please confirm and identify.

TW [21:31:24]: Hello? Hello? Can anyone hear me?

CCC [21:31:28]: Yes, we can hear you, five by five. Please identify.

TW [21:31:33]: (Sigh) Thank goodness. This is Chief Communications Officer Triton Wickerstaff, Expedition Team Alpha, Sector One.

CCC [21:31:45]: What's your position, Officer Wickerstaff?

TW [21:31:50]: I'm two kilometers west of the base camp on Hill 18. I need help! Request immediate evac with AI (Armed Intervention)! Repeat, request immediate evac with AI!

CCC [21:32:09]: Confirm last message. Did you say AI?

TW [21:32:14]: Yes! AI!

CCC [21:32:18]: Copy. What is your status? Are you injured?

TW [21:32:24]: I'm fine, but I'm alone. Most of my teammates are dead or dying, scattered all over! I can't find anyone else but I think I'm safe for now. I don't think he can see me or knows my location.

CCC [21:32:49]: Officer Wickerstaff, please clarify. Who is "he?"

TW [21:32:58]: Perrian.

CCC [21:33:01]: Perrian? You mean Captain Elias Perrian?

TW [21:33:05]: Yes, Captain Perrian. He's lost his mind. I don't know what's wrong with him!

CCC [21:33:12]: Please clarify. Captain Perrian has an impeccable service record and no history of mental illness. What do you mean "he's lost his mind?"

[21:33:18]: (sounds of breathing and leaves rustling, followed by what sounds like a twig snapping)

CCC [21:33:47]: Please respond.

TW [21:34:00]: Sorry. I thought I heard something, but it was just the wind. I had to make sure.

CCC [21:34:13]: Is your position secure, officer?

TW [21:34:16]: As secure as it can be, I guess.

CCC [21:34:19]: Very well. Can you tell us what happened?

TW [21:34:25]: We were collecting nightlock samples a half kilometer north of camp and we came across a…some kind of nest.

CCC [21:34:36]: A nest? What kind of a nest, officer? Please clarify.

TW [21:34:42]: Like a wasp's nest, you know, like the ones you see in the trees all the time. Only these…they were…well they didn't look like regular wasps. At least, not like any wasp I've ever seen before.

CCC [21:35:15]: Can you describe the wasps?

TW [21:35:19]: Big! Bigger than any I've ever seen, at least the size of a large walnut, no maybe even bigger than that! Fast, too!

CCC [21:35:39]: Copy. So then what happened?

TW [21:35:44]: Well, we found a huge nightlock deposit in a clearing about 20 yards up, but there were some small trees in the way that the nest was in, so Perrian decided to clear it out by throwing a rock at it. As soon as it hit the ground, a group of about 10 wasps flew out, but it was interesting. They didn't come after us at first. They just seemed to hover above the nest. It seemed as if they were being held back by some kind of invisible barrier.

CCC [21:36:32]: Invisible barrier?

TW [21:36:35]: Yeah. Nobody really knew why at first, but then we figured it out. It was smoke.

CCC [21:36:42]: Smoke? Was there a fire?

TW [21:36:48]: No, not from a fire. From Perrian. He was smoking a cigar. Every time he exhaled, the wasps seem to move farther back. But then he suddenly stubbed it out on his boot and then they were on him in seconds. They stung him three times – one on his right forearm, one on his left leg just above his knee, and the third one on the left side of his neck. Right away he got these enormous welts on him, and they smelled horrendous. I don't know what kind of venom these things have, but it's potent.

CCC [21:37:26]: How did the rest of you manage to avoid getting stung and get away?

TW [21:37:31]: Somehow, someone managed to find his cigar on the ground, which was still mostly lit, and threw it at the nest, and a second later it went up in flames and was pouring smoke. That seemed to drive them away. Then we hurried and got Perrian back to base camp so the medical team could take a look at him.

CCC [21:38:03]: Was treatment successful?

TW [21:38:07]: We thought so at first. The medical team put some kind of salve on his welts, which helped ease the swelling and the pain. Perrian seemed fine after that. Well, until about ten minutes later.

CCC [21:38:24]: What happened then?

TW [21:38:27]: I don't know. Perrian…he just…I..I don't know he just lost it. Went completely berserk…started ranting like a lunatic, throwing equipment everywhere, then grabbed his pistol and blasted the video transmitter to bits. Luckily, I was able to grab the radio and the portable booster before he could trash that, too.

CCC [21:38:56]: Did you say ranting?

TW [21:39:00]: Yeah, he went completely off the deep end…real insane paranoid delusion type stuff. He kept yelling about how the Capitol sent him out here to die, that the president wanted him dead so he could usurp his family and take his house, that we were all in on the conspiracy, and how he was going to take down every last one of us, that he had to do it for himself, and for the "others"…he kept saying the "others" told him what was going on, and how they knew everything…shook everyone up pretty bad. Anyway, then (Medical Assistant) Morgana tried to calm him down and that's when he really went haywire. Took his utility knife out and just ran her through in a split second. I…I…I can still see the blood spurting from her neck…Oh…dear god (sobbing).

CCC [21:40:11]: Officer Wickerstaff, you need to remain calm. Stay with us as long as you can. We have an extraction team en route to your position, but you'll have to hold out until morning.

TW [21:40:25]: That may not be soon enough. He's out there…hunting me…I can feel it. I'm afraid to close my eyes…even to blink. Sooner or later he'll find me, and then I'll be dead…oh god oh god you have to help me (more sobbing).

CCC [21:40:50]: Please remain calm, officer. Stay in contact with us and we'll get to you as soon as we can. Hang in there.

TW [21:41:00]: (several audible deep breaths are heard) Ok…I'll do the best I can.

CCC [21:41:18]: You're doing great, officer, just sit tight and stay with us. Can you tell us what happened next?

TW [21:41:26]: We stood there just shocked and horrified for a few seconds…couldn't believe what we just saw…couldn't believe that Captain Perrian would ever do something like that. He was always such a soft spoken and professional man…not a cold blooded killer. But we snapped out of it quick when he pulled out his assault rifle and said "So you're all going to make it easy on me, huh? Fine! Die where you stand then!" And just started shooting the place up like he was some kind of old west cowboy or something, wasted our equipment, torched our rations, just went on a rampage. He shot 5 more dead on the spot, took out his other security squad mates first, and then he went even more mad, if that's possible.

CCC [21:42:42]: More mad? How so, officer?

TW [21:42:48]: He tears off his shirt so he's completely bare chested wearing just his dog tags and straps on his spare magazines across his chest in an "X" shape. Then he kneels down next to Morgana's body, dips his fingers into her neck, and starts painting his face with her blood…I don't know like…like…war paint or something. Then he did the same thing with the ash from our campfire from the night before, started smearing it all over his face and body like one of those…you know those elite army guys from the old world military history books we always heard about?

CCC [21:44:14]: You mean the green berets?

TW [21:44:18]: Yeah, those guys. A lot of us were still way too scared to do anything too sudden or aggressive, so we thought maybe we could talk to him and try to snap him out of whatever was affecting him…but then he started shooting again and killed another 6 on the spot, with 4 more wounded…he finished them off 3 of them with his knife…slit their throats and just let them bleed out. The fourth…he just bashed the guy's skull in with the butt of his rifle…the screams…the look in Perrian's eyes…I've never seen anything like it in my life…terrified me to the bone…I still am. After that, me and the other remaining team members just took off every which way. That's when I picked up the radio and the booster and just took off as fast as I could in the opposite direction of Perrian. He had given chase to the east after one of the other members, so I went west and tried to find the highest ground that I could. That's how I got here and was able to contact you.

CCC [21:46:21]: Have you been able to contact any of the other remaining members of your team, officer?

TW [21:46:30]: Impossible.

CCC [21:46:32]: Why?

TW [21:46:34]: Because they're dead, that's why.

CCC [21:46:38]: How do you know that, officer?

TW [21:46:43]: Because I could hear their screams in the distance. I could hear Perrian's gun shooting them. Hear his voice counting down the bodies…"One down, three to go! Two down, two to go! Three down, one to go! I know you're out there, Triton! I can smell your fear! You can't hide from me forever, you little worm!" Amazing what you can hear when you're the last two humans alive in an entire country…well, former country anyway.

CCC [21:47:20]: Where was Captain Perrian's last known position, in your judgment?

TW [21:47:27]: Based on his last kill, which was a couple hours ago…I'd say he was pretty far south of the camp. I haven't heard anything since…so he's likely waiting for me back at the camp, thinking I'll try and go back to scrounge for whatever is left. At least…I hope that's what he's thinking.

CCC [21:48:06]: Based on what you've described, that would be the most likely course of action.

(sudden panicked breathing is heard at 21:48:20)

CCC [21:48:22]: Officer Wickerstaff, respond please.

TW [21:48:27]: Oh no…oh god I think he's onto me…he's getting close. I can hear footsteps in the distance! Please please please help…you have to get me out of here!

CCC [21:48:40]: Give us a sitrep, officer.

TW [21:48:44]: He's getting closer! What should I do?

CCC [21:48:50]: Officer Wickerstaff, this is Defense Chief Donnis Paylor. What I need you to do is find as much cover as you can and remain absolutely quiet, and do not, repeat, do not, leave for any reason. You need to stay calm and remain where you are. If you run, you'll give away your position. Keep your radio nearby and keep the line live so we can listen for any changes in the environment, but do not use it until it is safe to do so. Repeat, do not break radio silence until deemed safe. Captain Perrian must have either left his triangulator at the camp, or destroyed it. Otherwise, he'd have been able to easily track your signal and would have no need to conduct a sweep of the area. Sit tight and hang in there, officer, you'll be just fine.

(a faint voice can be heard in the distance at 21:50:24): I know you're close, Triton! I can smell you even more now! Won't be long now, worm! Tick, tock, tick, tock! (laughter).

(heavy panicked breathing at 21:50:30)

(louder footsteps at 21:57:02)

(unidentified voice, presumed to be Captain Perrian at 21:58:13): Oh, I can feel it! Yes! The others have failed to disappoint me again! I know you're here, Triton! Worm! Scum! Come out and take what's coming to you like a man! You brought this on yourself, maggot! You and those bastards from the Capitol! You thought you could fool me? Nobody can fool me! I'm elite! I'm a level above all of you scum! I and the others…we are the next phase of evolution!

(sounds of rapid breathing similar to hyperventilation at 21:59:04)

(Perrian's voice again at 22:00:03): Found you! Good evening, officer dead meat! Hey, where you going, maggot? (rapid gunfire)

(Officer Wickerstaff heard screaming in pain at 22:00:15)

(sound of footsteps approaching at 22:00:29)

(Perrian's voice at 22:00:34): Did you really think you could get away from me, Triton? The others told me I'd find you, and they were right. Time to go to sleep now, my little worm.

(sound of Officer Wickerstaff rapidly pleading for his life at 22:00:56): Please! (inaudible) you can't (inaudible) this isn't (inaudible)

(sound of a knife being unsheathed at 22:01:03 followed by a scream at 22:01:05)

(sounds of choking and gurgling from 22:01:07 until 22:01:43)

CCC [22:01:45]: Officer Wickerstaff, report.

CCC [22:01:50]: Officer Wickerstaff, do you copy?

CCC [22:02:00]: Officer Wickerstaff, are you there?

(sound of final gunshot followed by loud feedback, then signal is lost at 22:02:08)

END TRANSCRIPT: 10/06/2662, 22:02:08

 **October 7, 2662** \- President Orion orders an immediate recall of the expedition. All remaining teams are to return to their base camps and await evacuation via Capitol hovercraft. Cargo airliners will follow along with security teams to attempt to recover the dead as well as any salvageable equipment and samples collected from the derelict camps.

 **October 9, 2662** – News breaks of the sudden cancellation of the expedition and subsequent suspension of the "Beyond Panem" initiative. Speculation runs rampant. Pundits and citizens alike are already questioning President Orion's judgment, with some even taking an "I told you so" attitude to the program. Back in the Presidential Palace, President Orion sits in his office sweating profusely and wracked with nerves, knowing he will have a lot to answer for.


	4. Chapter 4

**PANEM, A FUTURE HISTORY**

Chapter 4: Trouble on the Homefront

 **October 9, 2662 –** Capitol security teams arrive at Expedition Team Alpha's location in sector one in the former territory of Panama. The scene is one of unimaginable carnage: Equipment tents and pods are completely destroyed and the entire camp is littered with dead bodies, all killed in a grizzly and brutal manner. The teams also discover Captain Elias Perrian sitting in the middle of the base camp in a near catatonic state: he merely rocks back and forth and is unresponsive to questioning, simply muttering "dear god what have I done?" over and over to himself. He is promptly placed under arrest and led back to the security hovercraft with no resistance.

 **October 15, 2662** – All surviving expedition teams land safely back in the Capitol, but are detained for interrogation along with complete medical and psychological evaluations before their release.

 **October 17 - 20, 2662** – Elias Perrian is held without bond in a Capitol military prison, where he is subjected to intense psychological evaluation, drug testing, and medical examination. Toxicology reports show no traces of alcohol or recognized narcotics in Perrian's system, though there are levels of tryptamines and ergotamine which were previously unknown and shown to be exponentially more potent than any known strain of DMT or Psilocybin found in pre or post-Panem designer drugs. Throughout the interrogation sessions, Perrian adamantly insists that he has no memory at all of the events of October 6th, stating: "I remember coming back to the medical tent for treatment after being stung by those wasps. I remember feeling immense relief from the pain over the next ten minutes or so. After that, I cannot remember anything. It's like I blacked out and the next thing I know, I'm sitting in the middle of our base camp surrounded by bloody dead bodies and everything else completely destroyed." His story never once deviates from this statement. Perrian is also subjected to 5 separate polygraph tests as part of his interrogation, all of which he passes.

 **October 21, 2662** – In a move that eventually proves to be extraordinarily controversial, President Orion instructs Panem's Department of Defense to formally indict Captain Perrian, despite intense opposition from Capitol Doctors, Psychiatrists, and even reservations from Defense Chief Donnis Paylor himself. They argue that Perrian should instead be remanded to the custody of a psychiatric ward for further treatment and evaluation based on Perrian's statements as well as the toxicology and polygraph test results. However, as commander in chief of Panem's defense forces, President Orion overrules these objections and orders Perrian to be indicted. The decision is almost immediately leaked to the press, causing a media firestorm that sees a mix of support for the President's decision as well as criticism.

 **October 23, 2662** – Captain Perrian is formally indicted before a Panem Peacekeeper Military Tribunal. He is charged with numerous offenses, with 19 counts of first degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, dereliction of duty, and conduct unbecoming an officer being the most serious among them. If convicted, government prosecutor First Lieutenant Agrippa Snow intends to seek the death penalty, a punishment that has long been considered extremely unpopular and taboo since being effectively (though not formally) abolished during President Penbrook's administration.

 **October 30, 2662** – _Panem v. Perrian_ begins. Opening arguments from Lieutenant Snow portray Perrian as unstable, based mainly on his intent to showcase character witness testimony from a former colleague of Perrian's, Captain Malachi Lantier, who attended Panem's Peacekeeper Officer's Academy (POA) with Perrian as fellow cadets. In addition, Snow intends to further demonstrate Perrian's instability by playing the radio transmission and distress call from Triton Wickerstaff. On the other side, Perrian's attorney, Captain Marcellus Crane, intends to counter Snow's strategy by producing character witnesses of his own to contradict Captain Lantier's testimony regarding an incident where Captain Perrian was involved in a physical altercation with a recruit during a training exercise. Furthermore, Crane's opening arguments intend to show Perrian's exemplary conduct and impeccable service record during his 15 year career in the Peacekeepers along with testimony from Capitol doctors, psychiatrists, and other officials involved in Perrian's interrogation and evaluation, and finally argues that it was ultimately poor planning and execution of an even more poorly conceived mission that caused Perrian's breakdown and the subsequent tragedy.

 **October 31, 2662** – Thousands of citizens travel from all over Panem and gather in Capitol Square to peacefully plead for President Orion to spare Captain Perrian until at least further evaluations are done, and to protest the rash decision making of the "Beyond Panem" expedition, which protesters claim was hastily and poorly conceived, with some even accusing the President of being too desperate and selfish, wanting to "forge a legacy" for his own ego. They are led, to the surprise of many, by several surviving family members of Perrian's victims, chief among them being Angelica Wickerstaff, wife of the late Triton Wickerstaff, and her two daughters, Skylar and Juliana. Despite a few tense moments, no incidents of violence or unruly behavior are reported. The gathering becomes known as the "Halloween Vigil," coined by Capitol TV field reporter Julius Flickerman.

 **November 3, 2662** – Captain Malachi Lantier provides testimony of an event in which it is alleged that Captain Perrian physically assaulted a recruit prior to the Panama expedition. Under cross examination from the defense, Captain Lantier admits that he did not witness the entire altercation or how it started, but insists that based on what he did see, Captain Perrian used disproportionate force on the recruit. Captain Marcellus Crane immediately capitalizes on this by calling his own character witnesses, Second Lieutenant Flavius Cardew, First Lieutenant Odin Hammersmith, and Brigadier General Atticus Moon. Cardew and Hammersmith both reconstruct the events in their entirety: Eight months prior to the expedition to Panama, a training exercise was held in District 2. During a break, two recruits from rival squads under Perrian's command got into an argument over which would achieve a higher "TAS" (Training Assessment Score), which quickly escalated into a physical altercation between the recruits. Cardew then testifies that the situation escalated further when one of the recruits, Private. Othello Crighton, drew his weapon and threatened the other recruit involved in the altercation, Private Jacob Cresta. Perrian immediately stepped in and ordered Private Crighton to surrender and relinquish his weapon, to which Crighton refused. After repeating the order and again being ignored, Perrian immediately acted to physically restrain Private Crighton, who attempted to resist and even threatened to shoot Perrian and Cresta. Upon realizing that Private Crighton had no intentions of surrendering, Perrian was left with no choice but to use extreme physical force to end the confrontation, using standard hand to hand combat techniques in the Peacekeeper Field Manual. Due to Captain Perrian's superior experience and physical strength, Private Crighton suffered multiple fractures in his right wrist and hand as well as a dislocated right shoulder, a fractured orbital bone, and a concussion. Hammersmith then testifies that Perrian was given no choice but to be forceful, given the threat that Private Crighton presented. Finally, General Moon corroborates their story by relaying his own investigation of the events and declaring before the jury that Perrian acted well within Peacekeeper regulations and protocols. This is seen as a serious blow to the prosecution.

 **November 5, 2662** – Marcellus Crane calls several Capitol interrogators, physicians, and psychiatrists all present during Perrian's examination after his detention. They testify to the results of all toxicology, polygraph, and medical tests, all of which show that Captain Perrian was clear of any drugs or alcohol as well as having passed all five polygraph tests provided by the Capitol, which in turn indicates that Perrian's claims of having no memory of the event are not untrue. Snow attempts to counter by interviewing his own group of Capitol physicians who can relay possible flaws in the tests performed, but these attempts are quickly undermined during cross examination, when physicians summoned by the prosecution admit that upon reviewing the methodology presented to them, no major control flaws could be identified.

 **November 6, 2662** – As a last ditch attempt to save the case, Snow presents the transcript of the distress call between Triton Wickerstaff and Capitol Central Command the night of October 6th while questioning Capitol audio analysts, who conclude that the voice heard in the recording is indeed Captain Perrian. However, it is revealed by Marcellus Crane that Lieutenant Snow has mishandled the evidence by selectively editing the audio broadcast as well as the associated transcript, in particular omitting the part about Wickerstaff's personal assessment of Perrian and the stinging incidents upon finding the wasp nest. Crane then presents the full, unedited broadcast and transcript to the court. Presiding judge Colonel Florian Hawthorne declares a mistrial, citing inappropriate manipulation of evidence by the prosecution. However, Judge Hawthorne also declares that while Perrian while not suffer any criminal penalties, he will be relieved of command and given an "other than honorable" discharge from the Peacekeepers. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Snow's license to practice law is suspended pending a disbarment hearing scheduled on an undisclosed date.

 **November 10, 2662** – Perrian is released from Capitol custody, a civilian for the first time in 15 years. He is met by a large crowd of reporters, and makes his first public statement since arriving back in Panem: "May the families of those I harmed please forgive me. No words of mine could ever come close to healing the wounds I've caused. I can only hope they understand that I would never have done such a thing under normal circumstances." His statement is replayed over and over in the media for days on end.

 **November 14, 2662** – News outlets all over the nation are buzzing about what has now become known as the "Perrian Affair." Pundits from all districts are now openly questioning President Quintus Orion's decision making regarding the expeditions beyond Panem as well as his motives for calling for Perrian's indictment so quickly despite opposition within his administration as well as those in Panem's Defense Department. Some are even calling for an investigation of the President himself, suspecting that his administration had been responsible for ordering the incident with the evidence in court in an attempt to "sweep the incident under the rug" and avoid a scandal.

 **November 16, 2662** – President Quintus Orion makes his first public appearance since before the expeditions beyond Panem. In his public address, he professes his "sincere regret" for the lives lost in the expeditions, but also states that "the disgusting acts of one single criminal cannot deter us from our greater mission of bringing prosperity to who may still be in need outside Panem." His speech is not very well received, with many believing it left more questions than answers.

 **December 6, 2662** – Elias Perrian is found dead in his District 5 home. Police and forensic experts discover he was shot once in the back of the head, execution style. However, his body shows no signs of struggle, suggesting that he never saw his attacker coming. The news of his death sends shockwaves across Panem, with many now openly stating he was assassinated by the government. The killer is never found.

 **December 12, 2662** – Quintus Orion makes another public statement regarding the Perrian Affair. He states that "while this tragedy has finally come to an end, we must never forget those lives that were taken by his hand, and we must continue on our journey in their name."

 **January 13, 2663** – During Panem's State of the Union, President Orion drops a bombshell: A second expedition beyond Panem, to take place in the summer, has been announced. The press reacts in total shock, the public in total outrage, and the government in total skepticism.

 **January 21, 2663** – President Orion's public approval rating begins to rapidly sink, now hovering at just 50 percent, down from his inauguration figure of over 80 percent. Respondents commend his resolve, but question his wisdom and his judgement in so hastily announcing another expedition beyond Panem's borders without proper research. They see him as too eager to make his mark on history by any means necessary. Respondents overwhelmingly oppose a second expedition outside the nation's borders by a huge margin, with 78 percent opposing any further expeditions, 13 percent opposing until proper research and surveillance of the area is performed, only 4 percent supporting a new expedition, with the remaining unsure.

 **January 22, 2663** – Panem's Parliament almost unanimously rejects Orion's proposal to return to the former areas of Panama, Mexico, and the Canadian wilds.

 **January 27, 2663** – In a situation room briefing in the Capitol Mansion, President Orion is notified of a loophole in Panem's Constitution which allows the President to bypass the legislature in matters of defense if a credible threat can be shown, allowing Orion to order a second expedition outside of Panem without legislative authority. The loophole is discovered by Assistant Attorney General Nero Templesmith.

 **January 28, 2663** – President Orion gathers a few of his highest ranking Peacekeeper officers and informs them of his intention to continue in his effort to attempt a second expedition beyond Panem, presenting his argument as a pre-emptive "defense" against the aggressive creatures encountered previously, warning: "If we do not take care of this problem now while they are still thousands of miles away, then we will eventually have to deal with it when they are right next door to our children." In reality, though, Orion is interested in obtaining more samples of the plants and creatures found in the first expedition. A secret audio recording in the room is heard after the officers leave. In it, Orion can be heard saying (presumably to himself): "They'll love you again, Mr. President…no matter what it takes."

 **February 4, 2663** – New evidence in Perrian's slaying comes to light. Forensic analysts in District 5 are able to determine that the entry and exit wounds on Perrian's skull are consistent with those of a 9mm Beretta, which is a standard sidearm carried by all commissioned officers in the Peacekeepers. However, upon informing Panem's Department of Defense, the case is ordered closed and all further evidence sealed.

 **February 8, 2663** – President Orion appears before Panem's legislature and begins making his case for a second expedition, utilizing the loophole in the Constitution which allows him to label the creatures in the wilds as well as former territories of Mexico and Panama as imminent threats engaging in a northern migratory pattern in search of new food sources. Secretly, however, the president has ordered several heavily armed squads already en route by hovercraft to former Canada, Mexico and Panama under cover of darkness. They are under secret orders to gather as many nightlock samples as possible as well as capture live specimens of the monkeys and wolves encountered the previous October. They are also told that the mission is to be kept secret for "matters of national security," and that any distress calls back to the Capitol will be ignored, should they run into trouble.

 **March 1, 2663** – The 10th Peacekeeper Airborne Division's Echo Team captures several of the live mutated monkeys in the former Mexican state of Chiapas, approximately 10 miles from what used to be the border of former Guatemala. However, the team loses three members in the fighting. In addition, the team loses another member when securing several hives of the wasps when he accidentally falls on one of the hives and is stung approximately 40 times, and dies almost instantly. His body is immediately burned to create enough smoke to allow the rest of the team to retreat while keeping the remaining wasp swarms from pursuing them as well as keep the specimens already captured in a docile state. They are ordered to bury the bodies on site, then pack up their base camp and return back to the Capitol with the specimens.

 **March 7, 2663** – Bravo Team, stationed in the former Canadian Territory of Saskatchewan, suffers even heavier casualties during their capture of 20 wolf specimens. Several members are killed when the wolves display another ability previously undiscovered in the prior expedition: When several within their ranks are wounded or killed, the wolves are able to signal a tactical retreat, regroup, and engage in espionage before organizing a surprise ambush while Delta team members are having chow. In total, 8 team members are killed, with another 5 wounded. They are given the same orders as Echo Team.

 **March 30, 2663** – The Peacekeeper teams return to Panem, again under cover of darkness in a remote airfield several miles west of the Rockies. The specimens are then taken by armored transport back to Capitol City. The surviving team members are then led to a large conference room in a Capitol bunker built during the great war of 2017, where they are sworn to secrecy under threat of arrest and/or execution.

 **April 7, 2663** – One week after the teams' return to Panem, a furlough had been scheduled for Corporal Fabian Mellark, one of the Echo Team members killed in Chiapas. When Corporal Mellark fails to appear at District 12's main airport to meet his family, questions and suspicions are immediately raised. Fabian's mother, Marigold Mellark, contacts Panem's State Department demanding to speak with President Orion. Her requests are repeatedly denied, and Mrs. Mellark is warned against further attempts at contact under threat of arrest for telephone harassment of a government official. Angered and saddened over her son's absence as well as the government's refusal to assist, Marigold Mellark instead goes to the media and tells her story.

 **April 10, 2663** – Another media firestorm has erupted stemming from Marigold Mellark's story, with sources inside the Peacekeeper corps confirming that Corporal Mellark was indeed scheduled for furlough. Now, other families of the young men and women who suddenly "vanished" join Mrs. Mellark in her campaign to demand answers. Several television, radio, and social media outlets begin following the campaign, with several voicing support for her cause. "This is not about pointing fingers or going on a political witch hunt," Mrs. Mellark explains to a crowd of gathered journalists in Capitol Square. "It's about finding out the truth about what happened to our children, to those young men and women who serve Panem proudly, and ask for nothing in return except honesty and integrity." Supporters of the "Peacekeeper Parents" begin to gather by the hundreds as the day wears on, and by nightfall the crowd has grown to several thousand in number, with no signs of slowing down at all. It appears that the Orion Administration keeps getting entangled in one mess after another, and it is quickly trying the public's patience. This is the first time in Panem's history that the nation has seen a scandal.


End file.
